2009 Draft - Round 1, Pick 9, Overall Pick 9 - BJ Raji

I didn't like this kid in the top 10 months ago and nothing has changed for me since then. Displayed a very poor work ethic throughout his college career, and the only time that he worked his butt off like an NFL player should was in the time leading up to the draft. It will be interesting to see what he does once he gets paid.

Major boom or bust pick, and if I was forced to bet my life I would bet on bust.

I didn't like this kid in the top 10 months ago and nothing has changed for me since then. Displayed a very poor work ethic throughout his college career, and the only time that he worked his butt off like an NFL player should was in the time leading up to the draft. It will be interesting to see what he does once he gets paid.

Major boom or bust pick, and if I was forced to bet my life I would bet on bust.

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I haven't heard the poor work ethic thing anywhere else. I've heard the phrase "high motor" thrown around a bit, but I haven't seen anyone question his work ethic. Though maybe i'm not looking hard enough.

Analysis Positives: Flashes rare burst off the snap for a man his size and can penetrate into the backfield and disrupt the play without necessarily making the tackle. Good strength and mass at the point of attack to create a pile. Good short-area lateral quickness. Experienced. Missed the 2007 season due to academics, but leaves BC with 38 career starts. Locates the ball quickly and works to make the play. At his best lining up at the nose, though he flashes the initial burst off the snap to be effective as the under-tackle in the 4-3 alignment. Strong enough to pull down ballcarriers with just his arms. Arguably the single-most dominant player during the week of practice at the Senior Bowl.

Negatives: Marginal height for the position. Only adequate to shed blocks due to his short arms and lack of sustained quickness. Rare quickness in confined space, but lacks the speed to sustain and struggles to make an impact outside of the guard box. Flashes the burst off the snap for the three-technique (under tackle in the 4-3 alignment), but is only a marginal pass rusher. Relies on his initial burst off the snap and an occasional spin move to pressure. Reliable tackler, but lacks the balance and lateral quickness to break down and make the tackle in space. Most effective when operating as part of a rotation. Maturity is a concern. Has struggled with his weight, playing in 2006 at more than 350 pounds. Was suspended for the first half of the Clemson game in 2006 for throwing a punch at a Central Michigan player. Missed the entire 2007 season due to academics.

Compares To: SHAUN ROGERS, Cleveland -- Rogers is about three inches bigger than Raji, but both have the awesome ability to change the tide of a game on the field and frustrate coaches by their lack of work ethic away from it. Raji had a good senior campaign, but it was not earth-shattering. You have to look at the whole picture here. Is your team going to get a player motivated and hungry to prove his doubters wrong, or a player his former coaching staff had to constantly monitor. That's a lot of money to gamble on someone that can either dominate for you or get a general manager fired.

You can pretty much see there what I'm talking about. Other sources have brought up his tendency to take plays off, but I'm too tired to dig them up. The weight thing is the biggest concern here to me. The least concern is the academic stuff. I mean, how intelligent does a DT need to be to clog running lanes? Plus, Boston College has as high of academic standards for their athletes than just about any major program/university in the nation.

One more thing, they say in my link that his coach says that he has a high motor. While that could be true, coaches are a terrible source because they never say anything really bad about their players, but routinely lie. Helping their players' draft stock just helps them even more in recruiting.

I thought of that in draft day 1. But you're right, it's more effective against the run, as we lack quick DE to go against a spread offense.

This formation will be used a lot, because you can't just toss a 3-4 and hope it'll work out, you need to implement 4-3 schemes to smooth things up. Specially in nickel and dime situations, although the personell will be different, CM3 will prob. be the RE, with Jenkins and Pickett or Raji playing DT and even Chillar going at OLB. I trully expect the 4-3 to be our main nickel situation...

And if Dom C uses his usual formations from the past, expect to see some 4-6 bear on the field, on 4th and short, and against teams like minnesotta or Baltimore...

I guess this pick is okay, but to me it's acknowledging by Ted that Justin Harrel is been officially labeled a bust!

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Harrell will fit better into a DE end role in the 3-4. He's not necessarily needed in the NT role now. If he overcomes his back issues, IF, then a "bust" label is premature.

I've got to say that I'm impressed with Raji more & more. He seemed level-headed during the combine Q&A. On the field his fat *** reminds me of a young Warren Sapp. Nimble & quicker than most O-linemen he will face. Pickett has been given notice that the changing of the (nose) guard is underway. I foresee Raji starting & Pickett's energy being saved for the 2nd half of games.

Many thanks to the Jets for trading up & giving CLE the excuse to not draft Raji. Once Shaun Rogers starts showing the effects of being 350lb+ 30 year-old NT they'll regret passing up the chance for Raji.

I have problems seeing Harrell as a DE. But then again, I don't know what kind of 3-4 DE Dom Capers will apply. Pittsburgh's are asked to move a lot and rush the passer. Maybe he thinks that we have a more agile linebacker corpse and a NT more capable of rushing the passer, and wants the DEs to just stack the point of attack, that I could see Harrell doing.

Im soo glad that BJ is coming to the Packers. We need some defense and that is exactly what McCarthy did. Hell yea

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I am just hoping all these rookie additions to the defense will make a good impact this year. Always a challenge for a college player to go to the NFL and make an instant impact. Heres to hoping... :muscle:

Both first-round draft picks - nose tackle B.J. Raji and linebacker Clay Matthews - said they hoped to report in time for training camp with completed contracts but Raji was adamant about it. "There will be no problem, as far as holding out on my end," Raji said. "I'm a rookie but from what I've been told, holdouts are not necessarily a good thing. Especially a rookie coming in, you can't afford to miss a week or two of training camp, especially when you're trying to find a way to get on the field. Yeah, that's my agency, but I'm in control, not the other way around." - From JSOnline.

That's the kind of guy we got at 9. HE CONTROLS HIS AGENCY. HE WON'T HOLD OUT. I've just become a Raji Fan.

Nose tackles don't get the premiere stats but he is an upgrade from harrel in that he actually PLAYS. He should be a decent replacment for Pickett as he is getting up in years.

I actually have one degree of separation from Pickett as in I was teammates with his cousin in college. Pickett is a big guy. I remember he got one of the authentic jerseys from him and he wore it one day and he was drowning but then again he was a CB.

Keeping this DL together next year is a priority, especially with Harrell and his injuries. Both Jolly and Pickett will be free agents and I think we need to re-sign em. If GB does re-sign both and Harrell shows improvement then we will be sitting pretty. If not another 3-4 DT is a need in the draft, but later in the draft. Getting these guys back and having Raji should make this a dominant DL next season.